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Shane Grissom was a champion UFC fighter. He is a skilled master in many different types of martial arts, but he also has had a unique condition since birth. He has Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA) , a disorder of the nervous system which means he cannot feel pain. This ailment had another side effect of emotional insensitivity which made him come across as brash and mean at times. A year ago, he suffered a broken elbow which forced him into early retirement.

While this condition kept him from feeling physical pain, he sought compensation on an emotional level, so he journeyed to a remote part of Japan in search of spiritual consult. While there, he became involved with an unknown branch sect of Buddhist monks which held in their possession a powerful artifact said to be linked with the spirit of Bishamonten, the god of war and healing. Legend had it that this artifact was guarded by a corridor of fire in a secret temple, and that only the most worthy would be able to retrieve it. The one who retrieved it would be given a fraction of Bishamonten's power and wisdom to bring back to his people. Over time, the monks believed that Shane was sent there to retrieve the artifact and to share the knowledge that lied within it.

So Shane took the journey to the hidden temple and walked through the corridor of fire to retrieve the artifact, a small pagoda, which contained the spirit of Bishamonten. As he took it into his possession with his charred and burnt body, the spirit of Bishamonten sensed a great potential for good in the man and imparted to him a fraction of his power for war and healing. A power that when called upon, transforms him into a physical war machine of incredible god-like power and strength.

INITIAL CONCEPT SKETCH:

Here's the basic concept sketch. I didn't put forth as much time as I'd like on the initial sketch, cuz I couldn't wait to jump right into the modeling. A lot of things about this could still change. Maybe adding wrist bands, tattoos, etc....

*EDIT* - ADDED LINKS TO VIDEOS OF SCULPTING THE CHARACTER ON VEOH

[URL=http://www.veoh.com/videos/v16993375apbjmbw7]LINK TO NERVE - PART 1 VIDEO ON VEOH[/URL]

[URL=http://www.veoh.com/videos/v16993728b7dcqE7y]LINK TO NERVE - PART 2 VIDEO ON VEOH[/URL]

[URL=http://www.veoh.com/videos/v16993971H88PYSq6]LINK TO NERVE - PART 3 VIDEO ON VEOH[/URL]

[URL=http://www.veoh.com/videos/v170345149E2QFqwS]LINK TO NERVE - PART 4 VIDEO ON VEOH[/URL]

[URL=http://www.veoh.com/videos/v17109990R8yePbQd]LINK TO NERVE - PART 5 VIDEO ON VEOH[/URL]

[URL=http://www.veoh.com/videos/v17109495g7Jth59x]LINK TO NERVE - PART 6 VIDEO ON VEOH[/URL]

[URL=http://www.veoh.com/videos/v171100124FXG9RfJ]LINK TO NERVE - PART 7 VIDEO ON VEOH[/URL]

[URL=http://www.veoh.com/videos/v171161192Ecc5kbH]LINK TO NERVE - PART 8 VIDEO ON VEOH[/URL]

Great concept and hero name. Though, as an ultimate fighter, I think he might look tougher without the shoes. With the healing power of the Buddhist pike, he needn't worry about athlete's foot fungus ever again.

Nice backstory, lovely character sketch.
Like the rules stated, don't let that preliminary sketch (or your backstory) become a straight jacket. They are only to give you a "jumping off point." It's almost a given that your character will change and evolve over the next few weeks. That's half the fun!

Great body shape, although the wrists seem a bit too big, and the feet a big too small (which the shoes emphasize).

ravioli_rancher,
LOL! Yeah you have a point. I was thinking about removing the shoes anyway as the sculpting of the bare feet would be good practice and also add more sculpted organic detail to the piece. My thinking with the shoes was that it added a bit more of an ancient feel to it, but I think I'll lose them.

C-Mad,
I realize I'm not bound to it. I just often like to solidify most of my design in sketch form before I start a piece. I just didn't do it this time to the level I normally do cuz I just wanted to get it done. Yeah, I know the proportions are off. But sometimes stuff like that happens when rushing a sketch. I can usually correct any proportion problems while sculpting. That's part of the beauty of using ZBrush.

Not really. However I was trying to pay attention to topology for structure purposes so I wouldn't have the topology working against me while sculpting. But I guess in doing so, it would also seem to help with the topological masking.

Great timing there Solidsnake! I thought the same thing. I've been making vids of my whole sculpting process. Thing is, I'm on a Mac and I'm having a bit of trouble exporting vids to quicktime from ZB 3.12. I'll probably have to play them all in ZBrush while running a movie screen capture app. I have SnapZ Pro which should work OK for that.

But once I get them uploaded to YouTube or Veoh, it I'll post the links here.

Here's the sculpt after a few hours today. I'm just working on getting the proper musculature down, then I'll get more into detail after posing him.

You know what, KrakenCMT, this looks amazing even at your initial ZBrush sculpting phase. And you are recording the whole process! This is going to be great to see your Vid as well. The thread is very exciting!